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Film school programs can last anywhere from two to six years, depending on the level of education you wish to follow. Actually, unless you have already made the decision of becoming a producer or a film school teacher then a master's degree in film is really not needed.

The fact is, a good number of folks will tell you that you are just throwing away your time attending film school. And that goes without talking about the costs. Good film schools can easily charge upwards of ten thousand dollars annually. And yet there are still other institutions that will charge twice as much. Committing four or more years of your life to something that can charge close to a hundred grand should be something worth it.

The sad fact with film schools is that all to often, it is not. This is due to the truth that you do not need a diploma in order to land a job in the movie business. To become a director, you don't have to go to a film school. A good number of famous personalities began as production assistants, grip or personal assistants.

From there they work themselves up the hierarchy, eventually settling in a more qualified position they are secure and financially satisfied in. Be honest, everybody is not cut out to be a successful director. However, there are still other work opportunities like sound engineering, editing, and even lighting. You do not need a degree from NYU to land any of those careers.

Even if you are dead-set on becoming a director and you have a hundred grand to spend, film school might not be the finest way to spend it. With a hundred thousand dollars you can instead select to shoot your first independent film. Or create a compilation of short movies that can serve as entries i several movie conventions.

Film degree or no film degree, everyone who gets into the industry will eventually be confronted with having to find a job or project funding in one of the most competitive areas on Earth. Whether you choose to do it with a mountain of debt and an extensive knowledge of German post-expressionist cinema or with four years of experience working on professional film sets is pretty much up to you.

And this is certainly not to suggest that all film schools are bad for everyone. Nonetheless the fact is that even if you can afford to attend one, film school may turn out to be a waste of time period.